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The Missing Grandchild
Mu'tamid comes to Xam and explains his daughter-in-law sent a missive that their grandchild was missing. Background Shimmer has a dream skimming over the waves into a port, where a man in hunting clothes is seen. The goliath strides into an inn and talks to some seated patrons. Sits with them and listens to their tales. She sees George and the five werewolves. Six months to be in this area. The party is being thrown by the Great Neck Empire . It's being thrown by the Greatneck Ambassador who bought George's armor. Invited us there to see how we are doing and likely to gain intel. He knows all about Marthix. We're escorted into the main ballroom which is made of stone and built to impress goliaths. There's a musician group and a receiving line going from most junior official to the ambassador. The white goliath is in the receving line as the most junior person. We greeted them. The ambassador greets us by name and uses the correct titles. He expresses his regret not seeing Giovane and his regret for Giovane not finding his gardens just yet. This is an after dinner gathering. The most gaudiest attire is worn to impress everyone. The Xiltari Ambassador to Birthalis is dressed in full military regalia. She is a general. Sulis is accompanied by Lord Berthan. Shimmer was taken aside by one of the Xalar noblemen (Fat Eddie) who is talking to her about potential business deals, in particular he wants to fund the creation of certain potions. But something doesn't seem right with this deal to Shimmer. Jung Fe is approach by a beautiful wealthy landowner (Arith Jin Xathim) who tried to pursuade him to build his dojo on her land. Xam approached by Xiltari Ambassador. Bids Xam greetings from Xam's sister, comments she just doesn't see Xam often enough, 'especioally given their close relationship.' Xam notices certain individuals from her party intentionally approached. She goes over to Shimmer to intercede. When she gets over to the conversation, Xam can tell that the man's clothing doesn't look right. She interprets the man is presumptuous in his claim of position and dress. We notice that certain nobles are sober. They are likely (read: Are) members of the intelligence communities. In the morning, Xam's assistant wakes her. Eulji says there is a man here that has traveled a long way by the name of Shadowhawk. When Xam enters the room, Hawk stands up. He explains he is seeking them as he was sent by George. Xam notices the dark mottling on the back of Hawk's hands is constantly moving. The rest of the party arrives later this morning. Hawk feels regret to not see Giovane, he was looking forward to meeting him. The pupils of his eyes look like black flames. He is here on mission from his mother. He explains the flames in eyes and changing mottling is the result of something that happened to him at birth. He is here to learn more about shadow. He knew about the rift and wants findout more about what happened. Giovanne has been busy looking for a site for his land grant, and planning out what he can afford to build on it. It's not been an easy decision, the building has been radically shrunk to reduce costs, and is likely to undergo another reduction in size. Lothar's Farm With wolves attacking the populus in the area, the butler is hoping he is not dead. The butler asked Xam to find the grandchild. Jung Fei hired a porter. The spring rain have just stopped. After weeks worth of travel, we come across region of Leafton. We stopped the Plow and Circumstance Inn in the afternoon. Out of a crowded Inn, a humam man slumped over a mug at a table. We ask the innkeeper who he is. He explains it is Lothar, he recently lost his son. Soon, someone in the crowd recognizes us as the Curse Breakers. They try to confirm some of our stories but most are embellished. We are given free room and board. Shimmer slept blissfully unware but Jung Fei and Cid was a strangely quiet; no wolf howls all night long. This is unusual since there is an epidemic of wolves in the area. We arrive at Lothar's farm in the morning. We are greeted by Lothar, his wife, his daughter (early 20s), elder son (early teens), daughter, son of 10 and the missing son was (Mathfrid) 6 years old. About a week ago a scarecrow in the field and tore it down. He sent his sons to the field, his youngest was tasked to rebuild the scarecrow. Later on, Lothar checks on his youngest. All he finds is the scattered remains of the scarecrow and the boy's strawhat. Shadowhawk examines the area and sees that the ground is scored by something that is neither wolf nor human. The villagers explain they are having the same dream, all within the week. The dream is about three chimneys billowing out smoke and the smoke settling over the town. They feel the reason why they are having them is because of the missing child. Shadowhawk leads the party along the tracks leaving the scarecrow. Four people, one person was limping, the child was not unconcious. THe party arrives at a clearing where we lost the tracks we were following. We see a partially completed palacade. structure is surrounded by several oxen. In the trees, partially surrounding the structure are five giant spiders. Inside the palades we can see pen tightly packed with pigs. Four humans are inside. Giovane see a pale of green but its not a color he has seen before. With a psicraft check, Shimmer could see are shapechanger but not of the lycanthrope type. Shadow sees that the tracks to the boy restart again beyond the palades. The party gets together and discusses the next steps. They decide to use Amustela to ask the creatures if they have seen the boy. They have been there less than a week and start setting up the palacades. *Have they seen the boy? No *Do they know about the spiders? Yes, they are pets. Discussions with a Were Cid investigated the gambit camp and ascertained they were well equiped neophytes. They are a fragment of a larger force numbering 20+ people. The leader of the local group is not happy with the new leader. The bandits specialized in robbing merchant supply wagons. The new leader is named Mal Kephi. He is a notorious bandit and outlaw from Birthamlin. By the sound of it, he may have escaped while under a penalty of death. The tracks the party were following went around the bandit camp and the bandits didn't appear to have noticed the tracks. Cid wanted to eliminate the local group but most of the party argued against it. Shadowhalk was focused on the current mission and considered this a distraction. Xam was more concerned with the kid and also felt by leaving the bandits alone the party would limit the chance of the rest of the bandits getting alerted the party was around. The party moved on and 15 minutes later noticed a bear trap which they easily went around. The next day, the party lost the trail in a swamp but were able to locate one set of tracks (not the one with the kid) going towards the mountains. The party encounter 7 trained dire wolves and met the wolves' master, Ditha, who invited the party to visit at his cabin. Giovani realized Ditha had the same taint as one type of therianthrope the party had encountered before. Though he couldn't be sure which type, the suspician is werewolf. Although Shadowhawk initially declined and followed the trail, he found the trail led to the cabin. The party was told of an injury one of the man's normal dogs had received a few nights before. After seeing the shadow tainted injury, Giovani identified the creatures the party was tracking as ghouls. Shimmer cured the dog which impressed Ditha. He asked Shimmer to look at his niece, Katch who was also ill. The 19 year old niece was stuck with the mental accuity of a 4 year old which appears to be the age a tragedy befell the rest of her family. She had an unusual aura of Shadow taint which Shimmer was not advanced enough to cure. The girls father had left Katch in Ditha's care while he went in search of a cure. He was now part of a circus. Specifically, the circus of Shadow and Flame. While the adventurers and Ditha talked, Cid searched the house for anything interesting. He found a button top with two Yang symbols. It was buried in Katch's nap sack. Shadowhawk later identified it as a symbol for the Shadow Casters. Also found was a Mon (symbol) which Xam identified as belonging to House Vel. The house was destroyed 15 years for reasons Xam did not know. Another item taken was a ledger which contained House Vel's business dealings. Xam surmises that this girl is of house Vel and that what ever caused the downfall of the house, Shadowcasters were involved. Other books were taken by Cid but returned. Where he found the ledger, Cid also saw a bracelet, signet ring and rulership wand. All had the Symbol of house Vel. After investigating, discussing, and having tea. The party got Ditha to help in their search for the kid. With the wolves help, the party was able to find the trail of the other ghouls and the child. Capturing a Wizard Cid approached the abandoned lumber mill and scouted it out. After slowly and quietly drilling a hole near the water wheel, he looked inside. There was one darkened person hiding inside with many ghouls and ghasts. Other ghouls and ghasts were situated outside. Some were under the water in the river. Others were in a cart in the middle of the area. Two groups stood near a very well concealed tunnel. Deep in the tunnel, Cid found the captives broken into three piles without any undead around. Deeper, he find other rooms/caverns and a stairwell going up into the mill. He set a collapsible stairwell trap with spikes. On the weather vane on top of the lumber mill, what looked like an owl perched. Cid sabotaged the doors to the mill to prevent the ones inside from quickly reacting to the party engaging the undead outside. The team discussed the possibility of rescuing one or more of the captive first but concluded it wasn't feasible. Jung Fei's servant was hidden out of the way while the team moved in. Jung Fei moved closer than Cid or Giovanni who positioned themselves at the limits of Giovani's range. Jung Fei positioned himself between them and the undead front line Shadowhawk and Xam stealthily moved in near the tunnel. When the party opened fire, many of the ghouls moved into the tunnel. Xam cut off the last group and then followed after some of the others. Shadowhawk chose to run back to Cid and Giovani's position. As the others fired from outside, a psion revealed himself from the cart and set up a large area of black flame at the tunnel opening. Cid then quickly dispatched him. Outside the ranged people destroyed the undead while Xam fought them back into the caverns. She held them at a choke point but was unable to reach the captives. Until much later, she didn't know about the black fire. The team finally finished off the undead outside and the captives were unharmed. The team moved up into the mill and Xam, being the first visible and in range was immobilized and poisoned while the team killed the other undead and captured the apprentice Shadow Caster for interrogation. Wizard Interrogation The female shadowcaster tells us she is an apprentice. The villagers are paralyzed by an ingesting a paralysis potion. They are divided into men, women and children. Do not know why the people are taken. (Best bet, based on other information is that they're used for slave labor in the manufactory.) Cid looked around and found a large oak table. Underneath there is a strange wood craving into the wood. * Glaive (Patsy), * dagger (Patsy), * short bow (Patsy), * 40 bodkin arrows (Jung Fei), * one Dust of Sneezing and Choking (Cid), * 3 other Tanglefoot - probably includes Paralysis (Cid), * 1 Tanglefoot - wide area (Cid) * Heavy mace (Patsy), * 5 flasks of Frost Tanglefoot (Patsy). The owl we had seen is now gone. The apprentice explains the owl warned them of our approach. Her master made the carving, it is a symbol of the lock. After defeating a ghoul and some ghasts, we found: * 7 potions of greater vital water (2 for Giovanne, 2 for Jung Fei, 2 for Xam, 1 for Shimmer) * 3 expensive of bottles of wine (Patsy) * 20 other types of wine (Patsy) * 3 clown suits (Patsy) * set of ingredients (for paralysis wine?)(Shimmer) * empty wine bottles (Patsy) * a flyer for circus of Song and Sorrow Traveling Shadow Show. (Patsy) * 1 suit of traveling clothes of a noble, origin unknown, human sized (Xam) * 5 bits of jewelry (100gp each), are a complete set suitable for traveling suit (Patsy) * plumed hat (Patsy) * Starmetal sabre (Cid) * diary - Cid says it looks like it's related to Xeph and freshly written in a fine hand (Patsy) * owl perch (leave behind) The captives are still paralyzed and the apprentice has not been ask how to break the poison's effects. Walkthrough The Seer's Message Darkness falls across the land, evil whispers close at hand. At its heart, a shadow stalks; to his own destruction walks. She sings from heaven a curse; a lover dead, a daughter worse. For a child to be whole; a thousand and more souls he stole. Engines from the darkest dreams; tear the sky and rend the seams. Living wheels do not slow; freed by the lightest blow. Either miracle is done; halt the doom, heal the one. When our life, our self is lost; when we learn to count the cost. Love will transform and reign; freeing us from a life of pain. - as written in the diary of Estabon VanHoffenpheffer after talking to the Seer. Returning the Child The child is silent the entire return trip. He rushed back to his mother who is incoherent. His father is and repeated thanks the party repeatedly begging to repay them. The oathsworn Hawk simply says "promise kept" and walks away. See also External links Category: Campaign Category: Session Notes